"This is the link in the chain that was missing from Djibouti," said Abubaker Omar Hadi, chairman of Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority, who said he hoped the airline will help ferry cargo onwards from Djibouti's key sea port. "We need a national company to ensure our ambitions."
"Between Shanghai and Abuja (Nigeria), the transport of a container can take up to 75 days," Mr Hadi added. "With the sea-air transport Djibouti, this is reduced to 20 days. This is much cheaper than any air and much faster than any sea route."
Just last month they launched cargo flights to Mogadishu. Irir cargo
BY WARKA · AUGUST 15, 2015
The first cargo plane owned by Air Djibouti, the flag carrier of the Red Sea state of Djibouti, landed at the Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport on Friday.
Government ministers, legislators and the Djiboutian Ambassador to Somalia welcomed the maiden flight at the seafront terminal, after its 24 absence in the Somali airspace.
Government officials led by the Minister for Air and Land Transport, Ali Ahmed Jama Jingili and the Djiboutian Ambassador to Mogadishu, Dayib Dubad Roble lined up at the airport to celebrate the return.
“This cargo transport voyage is the start of regular flights by Air Djibouti, which will soon include passenger flights,” said Ambassador Roble.
Return
Mr Jingali said that the flights, both cargo and passengers, between Djibouti and Somalia will strengthen the ties between the two Horn of Africa countries.
“Our government envisages to start Somali Airlines as soon as possible,” remarked Minister Jinali without specifying date for Somali Airlines flights to Djibouti.
The national carrier ceased to operate in January 1991, following the collapse of the central government.
Turkish Airlines is the only major air transport with regular flights between Istanbul and the Somali capital. source africareview
